YESS!! NEW HOBBY SHOP just arrived and its LOCAL!! what should i have them stock?

[Figit090]

Well, we just got a place called TMT or MTM or somthing...it's has monkey in the title, but the sign was hard to read and i forgot already so...on to my quesiton.

I've never had a local hobby shop really, the closest is more than 20 miles away, has no track, and dosen't have cheap prices, good service, or anything that i'd want in a hobby shop, the guy just sits there, dosen't talk to customers very much, and just plain keeps to himself and the place isn't well stocked. and why go there when tower hobbies is cheaper.

BUT NOW i have one that is in town, and it will have a track in ONE MONTH!! Right now they have a WHOPPING....single cheap nitro buggy in their case... BUT, they are asking for suggestions for what to stock, and I'd like to know what i should tell them, because I haven't really had a lot of time to use my truck and i'd think that people that already own or go to shops could tell me!!

I said traxxas stuff, and parts, but thats pretty vague, and i'd like to go back and maybe give him this site to check out maybe? I dunno... i just got excited and decided to post. YIPIEE!!

they also have minibikes and gokarts GALORE!! they have the ones that hit 70mph, and will have a racing club, i can't wait!!

[TRF Drive Hard]

Plenty of tamiya stuff!!! id shop there... heck id even work there too lol :D

[Figit090]

they say they're going to keep prices at the same or LOWER than what i can get online!!!

[hardadz]

They won't stay in business if they try to compete with on line pricing. tell them to use a web site to promote the shop and racing. Stock plenty of parts and hop ups for what they sell and find a niche and promote it, be it 1/12th, 1/10, 1/8th on road or off road. If there is another shop 20 miles away , would'nt most people consider that local?, just asking

[Figit090]

well yes and no, the drive is probably close to 30, and there is no track... a shop with a place to try or see them run will get much mroe buisness IMO...but i have to go, more tomorrow...thanx for the input.

and actually, my friend is most likely going to be the one seting up their website...

and they've selled one minibike a day for 4 weeks, and about 5-6 rc cars..i d say they're off to a good start...

[Maverick Racer]

They won't stay in business if they try to compete with on line pricing. tell them to use a web site to promote the shop and racing. Stock plenty of parts and hop ups for what they sell and find a niche and promote it, be it 1/12th, 1/10, 1/8th on road or off road. If there is another shop 20 miles away , would'nt most people consider that local?, just asking

My local shop has beein busness for over 10 years, with some of the best prices period, some better than tower, if not equal to. If the shop sells enough stuff, has good CS, the it is easy for them to make it.

ASC, HPI, Losi, Traxxas, Kyosho, Mugen, are the better brands to stick with.

[agalanis]

Sorry to tell you, but if they don't know what to sell how on earth can they be successful? You can't run a retail shop without knowing the product. This can turn into a HUGE reply. But bottom line is, THEY need to know whats going on. Opening up a shop with ONE kit? Gimmie a break.

[chrisAtmaxx]

my lhs (and my job) has great prices and they do fine. durring the summer its slow b/c the have a indoor nitro track and everyone is racing outdoors but in the winter its packed. there prices are just as good as towers and most are better.

[Racer Rob]

They need to find out whats popular in the area and go from there. They need to stock stuff to support the people racing on the track. To do that, they need to know whats popular. If they stocked Traxxas and everyone ran Losi and Associated, they wouldn't be of any help. See where I am going with this! The best thing you can tell them is learn their customers! :cool:

[rcmania67]

does any of you do mail order. I paint body, and I need the best price

[rccardude04]

If they get a traxxas account, traxxas sends a book to them with a list of their top 300 most common parts. That would be a wonderful starting place.
-Eric

[Figit090]

oh, coolio... well i think i'll see if i can go in and maybe give him some more info...should i give him this site to look through and get info?

[rccardude04]

why not? It can't hurt... He'll get feedback as to what people do and don't like around the world.
-Eric

[Figit090]

allrighty then! i think i'll go in this weekend. this is a great forum...

[highroller]

First and foremost the person themselves needs to know a bit about the business they're opening. I don't think it's wise to stock every part for every vehicle, I've seen some shops overwhelmed with parts they could not sell. Let him get the feel for the demand of what is selling most in vehicles - go the supply on demand route first - most shops will have a supplier they can get parts or kits within 3-10 business days. Then as he sees business picking up, or start organizing some type of rc, his parts inventory should grow with demand and fianances. Most items that will sell quick are the RTR or recreational type vehicles (Tamiya, Traxxas, Kysoho) then the recreational/race type (Associated, Losi, etc).

I've known owners who had varing knowledge about rc who opened shops. The one who just wants to own a rc shop but didn't know anything about it didn't stay in business long. The ones that were involved (planes, cars etc) most stayed in business 10-20 years, the thing that lead to them closing varied - decline in business, lack of time to commit, just plan burn out.

[agalanis]

It sounds like this place is doing the hobby shop thing on the side of the go-kart/mini-bike thing.

I don't know about your commitment to them being successful. It's not a charity.

Sorry maby I'm just grumpy.

[Figit090]

yeah, you are :p :D....

jk, but anyway, i'm just excited, i've never raced and he said they will most likely have a track open in a month or so, i think. But i dunno, there are already some people with rc's here, because i saw a list of rc10 gt parts on his request list.

i guess i don't have much to ask him to get...maybe an engine mount, cause mine just snapped... but yeah, they are more concerned about pocketbikes...but they have some RC tanks, airplanes, and one nitro buggy, the lower cost 1/10 scale 4wd buggy...forgot the name...maybe Xtreme or whatever, with the cheezy radio.

but anyway, i can't wait....sorry for the weird thread by the way